The Impostor
by best with breadsticks
Summary: One-shot: If you're going to play Santa Claus, then you better be a good actor. Because Chad Dylan Cooper has no patience with impostors or bad actors.


Author's Note: So I wrote a Christmas story for _Phineas and Ferb_ and now I wrote one for SWAC. Good times, good times... I'm not entirely sure how about feel about this one. I think Chad's a little weird in it....I don't know. Well on the bright side of life, I'm on winter break until January 19! Oh yeah. That means I should probably review and read and write everything I've been negecting. I'm sorry I such a L-O-S-E-R... But as my grandmother, "but what can you do when they hold a gun on you?". Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Inspired by impostor Santas.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything _Sonny with a Chance, Grinch, or Scrooge _related.

***

"It's Christmas, it's Christmas, it's Christmas," Sonny sang as she danced her way through the festively decorated hallways of the famous Condor Studios. There wasn't anything that could really get her down; this was her absolute favorite time of year. This was the time of the year she waited for each and every year since she was a small child. She just adored it.

Though there was something that just wasn't right this year. She assumed that it could be that she was missing the cold. Usually it was a good couple degrees below freezing back home at this time of year, but here in Hollywood, it was a toasty seventy degrees. She kept reminding herself that in just a few short days, they would be wrapping up filming for the year, and she'd return to Wisconsin to visit her family, but until then she would have to celebrate here.

She hummed her own rendition of "Jingle Bells" as she skipped her way to her dressing room. She shook her head back and forth, dancing her way along her path.

Upon arriving at the doorway to her side of the dressing room, she reached towards the doorknob, not paying too much attention to her surroundings. It wasn't until she realized the door was locked that she was tossed back into reality.

"Tawni! Tawni! The door is locked!" She called, jiggling the doorknob. She pounded the palm of her hand on the door, hoping to gain her attention.

"Are you still singing, Sonny?" Tawni replied calmly from inside their dressing room.

"Not right now, but I was…" Sonny was confused by the question, who didn't like a good, old fashion Christmas carol during the holidays?

"And are you going to start singing again?" Tawni responded, fixing her make-up in the mirror, not even attempting to open the door for Sonny. Beautifying herself was much more important than Sonny being locked out of their dressing room. She'd get over it eventually, but Tawni would never get over an embarrassing picture of herself with no make-up.

"Probably, but what does that have to do with anything?" Sonny pounded her hand on the door again. "Come on, Tawn. This is ridiculous. I only can sing Christmas carols a few times a year –"

The door quickly opened and Sonny's purse, jacket, and Santa hat flew out at her. She tried to catch them as they flew towards her, but she fail miserably. All her items fell to the floor in a heap, and the door slammed closed once more.

"Hey, what was that for?" Sonny complained as she picked up her stuff.

"I know you're going to your annual Santa picture – it's all you've been talking about for a week now – and I _really_ don't want to give you the chance to ask me to go with you. And so, I locked you out and threw everything you need to leave out the door. Okay, bye now." Tawni waved to reflection in the mirror as if she was waving to Sonny.

"Aw, Tawni. Where's your Christmas spirit?" Sonny said as she put on her jacket.

"I think you stole it. Considering you have enough spirit for six thousand people."

Sonny sighed. "Fine, Tawni. But you don't know what you're missing though."

"Oh, I'm sure I do know. Goodbye, Sonny." Tawni waved again at her reflection in the mirror, grinning at how good her Coco-Moco-Coco lipstick looked currently.

"Bye, Tawni. I'll back later to tell you everything you missed." Sonny threw her purse over her shoulder and positioned her Santa hat firmly on her head, making sure it was snug. She had had this hat since she was three – it was huge back then – and every year since she had worn it in her annual Santa picture.

Sonny began skipping again down the hallway, humming once more. This caught the attention of most of the cast and crew, among others, as she moved pasted them.

In particular, this humming and skipping caught the attention of one Chad Dylan Cooper. He raised an eyebrow at her as she brushed by him. She was up to something, and, for some strange reason, he felt like he needed to get involved.

"Sonny!"Chad called to her, causing her to halt and turn about face.

"Yes, Chad?" She strolled her way over back next to him. "What do you want? If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of on a schedule right now." She held up one of her infamous fun-gendas, handwritten on her specially made fun-genda paper.

He turned his head to the side and muttered, "I'm got regret asking, but –" He turned his attention back to her, no longer muttering. "You're perkier than normal. What gives, Munroe?"

"Duh, Chad. It's Christmastime, and I'm going to see Santa Claus for my annual picture." She grinned like a young child would.

It amazed Chad that though Sonny was only a year younger than him, she seemed much more childlike and innocent than him. Not that that was a bad thing. Actually, he found it to be one of her more endearing traits.

"Santa Claus? For a picture? Sonny, I have a serious question for you."

"And what would that be?"She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you four years old? Or does this stuff actually still amuse you?"

Sonny rolled her eyes. "Someone's a Scrooge. I bet even you took pictures with Santa when you were little, so what's the big deal?"

"Yeah, I did. Up until I was four, not fifteen." He replied smugly. Sonny was growing tired of him mocking her, but there was one part of his statement she couldn't ignore.

"Why did you stop when you were four? That's like the prime age for completely and totally believing the Santa façade. You're in school yet, so the other kids don't ruin it, and you're still in the 'believing-everything-anyone-tells-you' stage. Believing in Santa is natural then."

He gazed off for a moment, as if he was remembering something had happened a long time ago."Well, you see…I kind of had a bit of incident with an impostor Santa at the mall…"

***

"_Okay, sweetie, we're next in line to see Santa." Chad's mother smiled down at him, holding tightly onto his hand. He had been trying to escape going to see Santa all morning._

_Apparently, the jolly old man scared the daylights out of him or something. Chad was never really good with the concept of _"He sees you when you're sleeping".

"_Mommy, I don't want to see him." He tugged on her hand, attempting to pull her down to his level. "He swares me."_

"_Aw, sweetheart," his mother squatted down to his four-year-old level, "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm going to be right next to you, so if he tries anything, I'll beat him with my purse, okay?"_

_Chad nodded. "I still do not wike him." _

_She laughed, running her hand through his blond hair. "Take Teddy up with you. You can squeeze him, if you start feeling scared, alright?" She pulled his torn and worn out, brown teddy bear from her large purse. _

_She always kept his teddy and blankie with her at all times, in case of an emergency such as this. Luckily both items could be compactly packed into her purse during outings._

_Chad grabbed his lovable teddy bear and hugged him. "Hi, Teddy. We goin' to see Sanna today, and den we can go home and finish makin' our movie." He smiled at his bear, laughing to himself._

"_Next!" The woman photographer yelled at them. Chad flinched, squeezing his teddy bear closer to him and retreating behind his mother._

"_Mommy…" He whimpered. "Pwease."_

"_Come on, sweetie." She picked him up and carried over to the large man in the red suit. She sat him down on his lap. Chad immediately tried to make a run for it, but his mother caught him and put him right back on Santa's knee._

"_Hello, there," Santa greeting the wide-eyed, terrified Chad. "And what's your name little boy?" He gave him a giant grin, bouncing him a bit on his knee._

_Chad sat still, his eyes were wide as he stared at the man dressed as Santa. It was then that he noticed something strange. His white, fluffy beard wasn't actually attached to his chin; it hung just a bit lower. Chad could see the white elastic band holding the beard in place. Chad gasped in the utmost horror. This guy wasn't only an impostor, but he was a crappy actor._

"_Mommy, he's a bad actor!" Chad turned his mother, his eyes still wide. "He's not Sanna. He's just a actor that will never win a Emmy, 'cause he's bad!" _

_Chad's mother didn't reply. She just stood there as she heard the cries of the children waiting behind her. _

_Chad attempted to jump down from the impostor's lap once more, but, once again, he was caught. The only difference this time was that "Santa" caught him._

"_Woah there, sonny. I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself." Santa tried to correct him. "Of course I'm the real Santa. And if you're not careful, I'll put you on the Naughty List." He shook his finger at Chad, who narrowed his eyebrows._

"_Do it." And with those words, Chad reached out and pulled the fake, white beard off of the impostor Santa. The cries behind his mother increases and they realized this was not Santa at all. Chad threw the beard to the ground._

"Chad Dylan Goldfarb_," His mother scolded, as she swiftly lifted him from the angered Santa Claus. "This is unacceptable behavior."_

"_But, Mommy, he's a bad actor! He doesn't have a real beard! Bad acting _must _be pwunished!" Chad counter, as his mother race her way through the exit with him in her arms._

"Chad Dylan,"_ She mumbled into his ear._

_Behind them, they could still hear the cries of the children, the angry parents swearing, and the impostor Santa's threat._

"_You _will always _be on the Naughty List, you little brat." _

***

"And thus, I haven't taken a picture with Santa since I was four."

"That's terrible." Sonny was mildly horrified by his story. Not only did Chad manage to run Christmas for himself, but a bunch of other kids had their belief of Santa shaken by Chad's need to point out every acting flaw.

"Yeah, I know. Being on the Naughty List is terrible." Chad shrugged. "But I think I'll get over it."

"No, you probably deserve to be on the Naughty List for the rest of your life. I was actually talking about the fact that you ruined Christmas for a bunch of little kids." Sonny crossed her arms and leaned back on her heels.

"Hey, I was little too. I can't help that he was awful actor, and I could see right through him at that age. He should have taken more classes if he was going to try and pass himself off as the real deal." Chad defended his younger self's actions. "And you should really feel sorry for me – not those other kids – because for like two weeks I could set foot in the mall without getting death glares from the Santa impostor."

Sonny rolled her eyes. "Well I have to go." She started to move towards the exit, when an idea struck her.

"Hey, Chad," she spun around to look at him. "I think it's time you got over your Santa fear." There was a wickedly evil grin moving onto her face. Chad could feel himself involuntarily flinch at her expression. He could only image what she had in mind.

He opened his mouth to say something, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her.

"Hey, hey," He leaned backwards. "What are you doing!?"

She didn't reply; she only kept pulling him with her.

He fought against her tug, but not with his full strength, for he enjoyed their contact. He was actual disappointed when they reached her mother's car and she let go, so she could use both of her hands to shove him into the back seat. She flipped something on the side of the car door before closing it.

Sonny hopped in the passenger's seat and quickly hit the door lock. She turned around in her seat to see Chad in the back. He glanced around the car in confusion, jerking hard on the door handle in an attempt to escape Sonny's evil plan. Sonny laughed at his antics.

"You're not getting out. I put the child locks on, so you couldn't escape." She chuckled at the face he made. "You're going to get over your Santa problem whether you like it or not."

"Sonny, I don't have a Santa problem. I just think the guy at the mall needs to take some acting classes is all. Do you have a problem with my opinion?" He tried another futile attempt at opening the door.

There was a knock on the driver's side window. Sonny looked up to see her mother. She opened the lock on her mother's door and let her in.

"Sonny," Connie started, "Why do we have a celebrity stowaway in the back of our car?" She gestured towards Chad in the backseat.

"Oh, Chad is coming with us. Isn't that right?" Sonny turned to him and smiled.

If she hadn't smiled and had that stupid cute glint her eyes, he would have said no in an instant. He would have demanded that she free him from the automobile and let him continue his day, but she smiled and his heart melted.

He sighed in defeat. "Yeah…that's right."

Stupid Sonny Munroe and her stupid hold over him.

Sonny's smile widened, as she clapped her hands together. "Then let's go!"

***

About twenty minutes later, they had arrived at the mall. Mrs. Munroe decided to venture off on her own to look for gifts, leaving Sonny and Chad alone. And soon enough they were speedily moving their way through the crowds to get into the Santa line.

Chad fussed with the sunglasses and baseball cap he was wearing as a disguise. Sonny had convinced him that it was necessary they conceal their identities until they reached Santa, they could take their disguises off for the picture. Sonny's disguise was a little bit more complex than his. She was wearing a pair of sunglasses and a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck and up over her mouth.

"There he is!" Sonny said as she hauled Chad behind her. "This is going to be great. You're going to get over your fear, and I'm going to get my Santa picture." She smiled.

"I'm not afraid of Santa! I just think he's a horrible actor!" Chad reiterated as they entered the line.

"Yeah, yeah." Sonny waved her hand. "Whatever. You just won't admit that you're scared."

"I am not –"Chad turned his head to see the Santa waiting for them at the end of the line. And low and behold, the flashback of his childhood poured its way back into his mind. It was the _same_ guy… Just twelve years older. Twelve years to become even bitterer over their little incident.

"Sonny, I'm afraid of Santa." Chad simply stated, as he stared wide-eyed at the man sitting the red suit.

"I knew it." She smiled.

"No, it's the same guy from my childhood. I think he's come back to haunt me." Chad leaned over to the side more to get a better glimpse of the man he had "allegedly" attacked, when he was four. It was only alleged due to the fact, though there were witnesses, who was going to press charges on a kid barely old enough to be potty trained?

Sonny leaned into his view to look at the man playing Santa. "Well, this is wonderful! Now, you're really going to get over your fear!"

He shook his head. "No…I don't think I'll be-"

"Chad, if you leave this line, I'm never going to speak to you again." She crossed her arms and glared at him from behind her sunglasses.

"Hey, that's not fair! You're the one who kidnapped me." He accused. "And anyway, what does it matter whether or not I get over that stupid incident? You weren't there. Why do you care?"

"Because I can't stand knowing that you hate Christmas!" She leaned herself in towards him more, glancing up at him over her glasses.

"I never said I hated Christmas! You're just making stuff up!" He threw his hands up into the air, flailing them around slightly before letting them fall back into place at his side. His face crumpled in confusion as he tried to decode her crypt message lingering in her eyes.

"Well, you might as well." She turned so her back was facing him. "You're practically the Grinch."

"You're being ridiculous! I am not at all being anything like the Grinch. There are more than a few differences between us. One, he's green. Two, he –" Chad was angrily listing their differences when he was cut off by another voice.

"Next!" The photographer yelled towards Sonny and Chad.

The realization of what had happened hit him hard. She didn't want him to leave the line, so she got him to fight with her until they reached the end of the line. It was official, this girl was nothing, but evil.

She spun back around to face him, grinning like a madwomen. She knew that he knew what she had just done, and she was more than proud of herself.

"Come on, Chad." She grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him up with her to see the legendary character.

"Sonny –" Chad couldn't get much more out, before Sonny threw off her disguise. She then proceeded to grab Chad's sunglasses and put them in purse. Chad reached out to grab his sunglasses before she could hide them, but she smacked his hand away.

"Well hello, child—" The impostor Santa stopped, staring at Chad, who took a fleeting step backward. Sonny pulled him back up next to her and smiled at Santa Claus.

"Hi, Santa. I'm Sonny and this is –" Sonny was cut off by Santa.

"I know this one." He pointed at Chad, who was trying to pass of this situation as nothing by glancing around the room. "You're on the Naughty List for life, aren't you?"

Chad pretended he didn't know what he was talking about. "You must be mistaken. It's obvious you know me, because, let's face it, who doesn't? But as for that Naughty List business, I think you've got me mistaken for someone else. Like her," he pointed at Sonny, "she should be on the Naughty List for life for kidnapping and holding a person against their will."

Chad's response from Sonny was a slap on the arm, to which he said 'ouch' and glared at her for.

"No, I remember you clear as day. Chad Dylan Goldfarb, if my memory serves me right. You ruined Christmas for a group of children ages two to twelve about twelve years ago."

"I told you. You did ruin Christmas," Sonny whispered in his ear.

He rolled his eyes at her, before turning his attention back to "Santa". "See right there, Goldfarb? My last name is Cooper. You must be mistaken. I didn't ruin Christmas for anyone."

"And now you're a liar. I see." Santa shook his head. "I thought you would have grown up some."

"Hey, I can't help the fact you're still a terrible actor! I was just trying to save the world from having to watch your painful performance. I practically _saved_ Christmas from bad acting!" His arms were flailing in the sky once more.

"Well in that case," Santa turned his head and pulled a walkie-talkie from his robe. "I'm going to need security. We got a formerly crazed four-year-old threatening me."

"I'm not threatening you!"

"Can take my picture?" Sonny chimed in, as she watched the disaster play out before her. Maybe bringing Chad with her was bad idea. He just was a miserable, old Scrooge apparently and nothing could change that.

Santa smiled at her. "Of course, sweetie." He patted his knee. "I'm just sorry your boyfriend is such a bitter child."

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend. He's a just a friend." Sonny turned and smiled halfway for the picture as the photographer took it. She couldn't take her eyes off Chad standing at the edge of the stage on which Santa resided. His arms were crossed and his eyes were hard pressed on the floor beneath her.

Santa turned to face her. "What do you want for Christmas, Sonny?"

She glanced over at Chad, who was now walking towards the exit. She watched him leaving with his hands in his pockets. She sighed and turned to back to Santa.

"Can you hold that thought for a second?" She held up one finger and Santa nodded.

She hopped off his lap and chased after Chad. She noticed a crowd of screaming fans barreling toward them, since their identities had just been revealed a few moments ago. Quickly, she managed to catch his arm as it swung backward. She tugged on it, forcing him to turn around.

"Chad, I'm sorry for kidnapping you and bringing back horrible childhood memories, but could you please just let it go." She bit her lip.

He just sort of stared.

The crowd of wild fans was slowly gaining size and momentum as it ran rapidity towards them. She knew that she would have to make this as quick as possible if she didn't want to be trampled, or lose Chad to his fan-girls. Because Sonny knew how much Chad _loved_ his fan-girls and how much his fan-girls _loved _him.

"_Please_. Will you take a picture with me?" She gave him the best smile she could muster at this point, but his ominous mood wasn't helping. The cries for Chad Dylan Cooper and Sonny Munroe ever increasing from all angles; Sonny just hoped he'd agree.

Her smile trapped him again. He couldn't say no. She was using her advantage again.

Stupid advantage.

It wasn't until now that he noticed the swarm surrounding them. She had used her advantage to get this moving faster. She was maniacal. Not only was she able to steal away his pride, she was also able to steal away a once in a lifetime chance to meet him from a bunch of screaming girls.

Stupid cute and maniacal Sonny Munroe.

He half-smiled and nodded, "Sure."

She gave him a full smile and led him back to Santa's stage, pushing through the group that had been engulfing them. There were many complaints and accusations that she and Chad must be dating or something, but she ignored them.

Eventually, she took her seat back on Santa's lap, and motioned for Chad to do the same. He sighed, shaking his head. She cocked her head to side as if questioning him.

"I said I'd take the picture," Chad told her, "but I never said I'd sit on his lap."

"Oh fine," Sonny repositioned herself on Santa's lap.

The picture was quick and painless for the most part. Sonny hopped up merrily as soon as it was over, but not before leaning to Santa's ear and whispering what she wanted this year. Santa looked at her a moment, before nodding his head, smiling.

She grinned in return and skipped off the stage, her hair bouncing along with each bounce of her steps.

Chad lingered a second longer, watching Sonny moving her way over to the exit. He looked back at Santa, knowing what he should do.

"I'm sorry." He simply stated. "You're not a bad actor." He half-winced after he said that. Saying sorry was hard enough, but admitting someone wasn't _that _bad of an actor – when they really were – was just absolutely painful.

"I forgave you a long time ago." Santa beamed, laughing at the teen.

Chad half-nodded, "thanks then."

Though it hurt deep down inside for him to kind of lie to this guy, it felt good that he did make amends with him. Twelve years of hiding from mall Santa Clauses now went straight down the drain.

He moved part way to the end of the stage, but halted and spun around to face the jolly man.

"Do I by any chance get to make a "Christmas Wish"?" He put air quotes over the 'Christmas Wish' part. He incredibly stupid for asking, but there was just one thing he _really _did want. And who knows, maybe this guy was the "real deal" and would come through with his request.

"Of course," the man smiled.

"I just want her to be happy." Chad said as he stared at her waiting for him at the exit. She waved when she saw him looking at her; her grin had grown even larger since they had taken the stupid picture. Chad was delighted that he had made her happy by taking the stupid thing.

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm sure she will be." He winked.

Chad smiled, "thanks." He gave him a partial wave as he walked over to meet her.

From the stage, the Santa Claus watched the two teens leaving. The mob of girls and boys waiting to meet them engulfed them once more and they were suddenly completely gone. Santa Clause laughed to himself when thought of what they both asked for. For it was clear they both already had their wishes granted.

All they wanted was the other to be happy.

And did they ever look _happy_.

***

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! :D


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